


Till the Day I Die

by Kikibaya



Series: JATP Phanfics: Something to Read until Season Two [10]
Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Alex Mercer Has Anxiety (Julie and the Phantoms), And Reggie’s father for that matter..., Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Caleb Covington Being an Asshole, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Everyone Needs A Hug, Evil Caleb Covington, F/M, Family Feels, Gen, Good Friend Julie Molina, Good Friend Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms), Hurt Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms), Hurt/Comfort, I Can't Believe I Wrote This, I posted this on my phone, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Let's all agree to punch Caleb 👊, Luke Patterson Needs a Hug (Julie and The Phantoms), One Shot, Other, POV Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms), Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Relationships, Post-Canon, Protective Alex Mercer (Julie and The Phantoms), Protective Luke Patterson (Julie and The Phantoms), Protective Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms), Reggie Peters Angst (Julie and The Phantoms), Reggie Peters Character Study (Julie and The Phantoms), Reggie Peters Has Bad Parents (Julie and The Phantoms), Reggie Peters Needs a Hug (Julie and The Phantoms), Reggie Peters Whump (Julie and The Phantoms), Reggie Peters-centric (Julie and The Phantoms), Sad Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms), This is so sad omgoodness, Where is Ray when u need him?!, so if there is any wierd formatting that is why
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-17 21:00:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28980747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kikibaya/pseuds/Kikibaya
Summary: Reggie finds himself cornered by Caleb one day while on the beach. When the evil magician curses him to see every male figure as his father, all hell breaks loose. Note: TWs for extreme sadness. Don't worry though, hopefully Julie can help our sad boi!!
Relationships: Alex Mercer & Julie Molina & Luke Patterson & Reggie Peters, Alex Mercer & Luke Patterson & Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms), Alex Mercer & Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms), Caleb Covington & Alex Mercer & Luke Patterson & Reggie Peters, Caleb Covington & Reggie Peters, Julie Molina & Luke Patterson & Reggie Peters, Julie Molina & Reggie Peters, Julie Molina/Luke Patterson, Luke Patterson & Reggie Peters (Julie and The Phantoms), Reggie Peters & Reggie Peters's Parents (Julie and The Phantoms)
Series: JATP Phanfics: Something to Read until Season Two [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2013343
Comments: 6
Kudos: 72





	Till the Day I Die

**Author's Note:**

> 🥺🥺🥺🥺 This story kinda broke my heart...I hope you like it 🙃😈💜 Sorry, I hurt the characters I love...ok, so I hurt Reggie...but there is comfort! I promise!

"Oh...I get it now...Caleb’s smirk twisted into a wicked grin...how interesting! I remind you of your father...hmm?"

Reggie couldn't look the ghost in the eyes as he tugged at the buttons at the end of his red flannel. A single tear fell from his eye and rolled down his cheek. Down. Down. It fell like a silent whisper onto the hot sand below, a slight sizzle hissing as temperatures clashed. 

His fists tightened, grip on his flannel giving way as his nails began to make marks in his flesh. Luckily, unlike the times when he was alive, the marks wouldn't bleed--couldn't bleed--he was a ghost after all. 

"Shh..shh...don't cry baby." Caleb approached him and tilted his chin up with his right hand. Reggie flinched away. Why was he being so nice all of a sudden? He was mocking and condescending just moments ago! 

Caleb grinned widely. As soon as he took his hand off Reggie's chin, he slapped him hard across the face, sending Reggie stumbling backwards into the sand. Caleb let out a chuckle, the scene reminding him of a theatrical performance. He cheered. 

"Bravo! Bravo! Now for the main act!" Reggie clutched his cheek, horror filling his gaze as he looked up at Caleb with wide, innocent doe eyes. 

"You seem to fear your father so much...I got it! I got it! Yes!" His eyes filled with dark mischief as a hand went up to clutch behind Reggie's neck. A small hissing sound followed his touch, causing Reggie to gape wordlessly in pain. Reggie clutched a hand to his neck as Caleb’s grip loosened its hold. 

"Tata for now Reggie baby!" Caleb called in a sing-songy, sickeningly sweet voice. "Let me know when you and the boys are ready to join my band." With that, Caleb poofed away, a small cloud of purple smoke remaining for only a moment before dissipating. 

Reggie staggered to his feet as his vision blurred slightly. He had to get out of here! He steadied himself for a moment, hand clutching the back of his neck as he feared for what Caleb had done to him. He focused. He focused as hard as possible--way harder than he ever had as a lifer. His gut felt a familiar tingling sensation. Poof. He was gone. 

…

Reggie staggered into the studio, breathing hitched as he stumbled aimlessly forward in shock. Caleb hadn't hurt him necessarily--well, aside from the slap--but Reggie feared for the unknown. Specifically, for whatever in the world Caleb had done to the back of his neck. Reggie crossed his fingers that it wasn't another stamp, but he had a sickening feeling that it was exactly that. 

"Re-Reggie? REGGIE?!" Luke looked up from where he sat writing lyrics in his notebook. "What happened? I thought you went to the beach? Why do you look like...WHY IS THERE A BRUISE ON YOUR CHEEK?!!" Reggie lifted a hand to his cheek, completely unaware that ghosts could even bruise, let alone that Caleb’s slap had been that hard. 

Tears threatened to fall as Reggie shuffled forward, he didn't even take one look at Luke before falling pitifully to his knees. Luke ran to him and enveloped him tightly in his muscular arms. "Reggie...Reggie! Please, say something!"

"Ca-Ca-CALEB!" Was all the raven-haired boy could choke out before more tears ran down his cheek. Luke cupped his cheek with his hand, careful not to touch the bruise. 

"Shh...it's ok...you're safe now...he's not here." Luke whispered as he rocked Reggie back and forth lightly, humming a soft melody as the boy collapsed into him. Luke looked down at the boy, wishing desperately to catch a glimpse of his sparkly, emerald green eyes. 

That's when it happened. Reggie looked up, hoping to see Luke’s reassuring smile and his dopey-looking expression. Instead, the thing he saw was enough to make his nonexistent blood run cold. 

Reggie instantly shot back, scooting away from Luke as much as possible. His back hit the edge of the piano, causing him to wince before he phased through it and backed up further into a corner. His hands came up to shield his face, and his arms started shaking uncontrollably. 

"Wh-why are you here? D-d-I-uh-I thought I escaped from you when I died! Why are you back here?! Why are you in the studio?!" Reggie frantically asked, eyes displaying a wild, terrified expression. Luke’s eyes widened as he took in the sight before him. Reggie was even more terrified than he had been just moments ago. Luke approached him cautiously, hands out placatingly.

"Reggie...Reggie, it's me. It's Luke. Who--who are you afraid of? No one's here but me." As soon as Luke approached him, Reggie let out a terrified whimper. 

"No...NO...please dad...don't hit me...I-I won't do it again...I won't bother you...just--just let me get my things...I'll leave." Reggie's sobs filled Luke’s ears, causing his chest to tighten and his heart to feel like it was breaking in two. He--he thinks I'm his...father?! Dread filled Luke from head to toe at the realization.

"No, Reggie...it's Luke...it's just me...no one else is here. No one's gonna hurt you." Luke knelt down and held a hand out to comfort the shaking boy. Reggie flinched so hard that Luke recoiled his hand instantly. The next thing Reggie said shattered him. 

"Ok...it's ok...just get it over with. I-I'm ready I think. Just make it quick. I-I'm tired." Luke's eyes brimmed with tears at the implication of what Reggie was saying. Is this how it was like? Is this how nights at the Peters' house worked? Reggie just waited...for his father to beat him?! Luke trembled visibly with fear and rage. Before his attitude could make anything worse for the boy, he poofed away, hoping that he'd be able to find some help in Alex or Julie. 

…

"Julie! JULIE! Alex? HELLO?!" Luke called frantically as his eyes darted around the Molina household. 

"Luuuukkkeee, up here!" Julie called, her voice resounding off the walls as it flowed from her bedroom. Luke madly dashed up the stairs, completely forgetting about the fact that he could've just poofed up there.

He barreled through the door, not even stopping to knock as Julie had instructed after the "boundaries" incident as they now commonly referred to it. 

"LUKE! I thought I told you guys...BOUNDARIES!" Julie huffed as she crossed her arms from her position on her bed. She had currently been braiding friendship bracelets with Alex. The blonde drummer didn't even look up at Luke--he figured it was probably just something stupid again like Reggie saw a mouse in the studio or something like that. 

Luke’s breath (ghost breath? Does he even breathe?) came in shallow huffs as he struggled to form words. "Re-Reggie...inhale...Caleb...inhale...panic attack." Luke put his hands on his knees and shot a look up to Julie as he uttered what seemed to be complete nonsense. 

Julie's eyes grew wide. "Did you say Caleb?!" Beside her, Alex was now paying Luke full attention. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN CALEB?! WHAT'S GOING ON?! ANSWER ME!!!" Julie was now in full freak-out mode, her hands coming up from her side and running through her hair. 

Luke caught his breath just long enough to provide somewhat of an explanation. "Reggie...he was on the beach...an-and he came back and just sorta collapsed...he said...he said Caleb got to him or something...but the worst part is...I-I tried to comfort him, but he...he thought I was his father?" He phased the last sentence as a question, not completely sure himself as to why Reggie had freaked out so badly. Julie looked at him, her mouth open in shock. Alex took a shaky breath and looked down at his hands as he fidgeted with his fingers. 

"Wait...Julie's voice shook as thoughts filled her mind...why-why is Reggie scared of his father? Why would Caleb do something like this?"

Alex took a deep breath before looking into Julie's eyes, his icy blue eyes reflecting a tint of sadness. "Re-Reggie never told us...really, he didn't have to...but, his father always got into fights with him...at least, that's what Luke and I assumed after he kept coming to practice with some random bruise or cut. There's only so many times you can "fall off your bike" as Reggie used to tell us." 

"Yeah." Luke breathed. "It got so bad sometimes. He always tried to hide them--the bruises--under concealer or other makeup, but...but you can't really hide a broken ankle with makeup." Luke let out a small, sad chuckle. "He tried to convince us that he broke it by tripping down the stairs...but we both knew he was pushed." Luke looked up at Julie, tears welling up in his eyes. 

Julie's fists tightened with anger, her mouth drawing into a tight line. Suddenly, realization dawned on her. "Is-is that why he hangs around my dad so much? Because...because he's kinda like...the father he never had?" Alex exchanged a look with Luke. 

"I-I guess I never thought about that before. It makes so much sense now...Alex said trailing off.

"C'mon." Julie broke the awkward silence. "We gotta go help Reggie." With that, Alex and Luke nodded before poofing out. Julie ran down the stairs, a friendship bracelet held firmly in her hand. 

…

The three of them stopped hesitantly outside the doors of the studio. 

"I gotta warn you...Luke started cautiously...Reggie’s not himself in there. He's seriously on edge, so no one make any sudden movements ok?" Alex and Julie nodded. 

Luke gingerly opened the doors, careful not to make any loud noises. 

"Reggie? Bud? Are you still here?" Luke crossed his fingers that he was. If Reggie left again, who knows where he would have gone? 

Silence greeted the trio as they made their way inside. Julie's ears perked up. She could make out the faintest sound of someone stifling tears. 

"Reggie." Alex breathed as he saw him in the same corner Luke had left him. He looked at the boy with large, sad eyes. Reggie was completely terrified, huddled in the corner clutching the fabric of his flannel for dear life. His entire body shook, and his head was buried firmly between his elbows as he looked nowhere but down at his feet. 

"Reg, we're here. It's Alex. Ok...the blonde drummer reached out a hand and placed it gently on Reggie's elbow. Apparently that was the wrong move. Reggie flinched back even further into the corner, eyes darting up to stare at Alex wildly. Alex took a step back as Reggie's pupils grew wide and his breathing quickened to shallow gulps. 

"Dad...you're back? I-I thought you left. I'm sorry! I'M SORRY! I can leave if you want. I-uh...I...I'm just gonna go to Luke’s house...yeah...yeah...don't worry about me. Not that you would...but...um…" Reggie spit out the words almost hysterically, his small frame seeming to shrink as he scrambled to stand up. Reggie gasped in pain as a sickly-forest green colored jolt hit him, causing him to sink back to the floor and grasp the back of his neck. He let out a sob. 

"Alex...uh...maybe let me try?" Julie put a hand on Alex's shoulder as he nodded, his expression stoney and a sad grimace on his face. He backed up to let Julie take his place. 

"J-Julie?" Reggie croaked as he looked up at the brown curly-haired Puerto Rican. "What are you doing here?" He let out a small whimper as the last of the pain from the jolt slowly left his body. Julie got close and wrapped Reggie in a hug, her arms reaching behind his neck and pulling him in tightly. 

"Oh, Reg...I-I never knew about your father. How...how he hurt you. But, you don't have to worry...he's not here anymore. Reggie...you're safe." Her voice was calm, reassuring as she looked up into his wide, scared eyes. Reggie collapsed into her, his shaking not ceasing even a little bit. 

"But he is here, Julie." Reggie whispered softly, his voice hitching as he continued. "I saw him just a minute ago...what if he comes back?" Suddenly, as the words left his mouth, the reality of what he had just said hit him like a ton of bricks. "Julie...WHAT IF HE COMES BACK?! You--you have to get out of here! Save yourself! Do it for me...PLEASE!!" 

Julie raised an eyebrow, her features crinkling in concern as Reggie tried to push her away. "No, Reg. I'm staying right here and no one is gonna hurt either of us." Reggie didn't respond verbally to her, but rather gave a resigned whimper as he pulled her in tightly to his grasp. 

"Then at least let me protect you." He whispered almost silently, the words ghosts on his tongue. 

Just then, Luke came over to check on Reggie, failing to miss Alex's warning look as he approached Julie. 

"Luke...that's not a good idea!" Alex hissed in a loud whisper as he grasped for Luke’s shoulder and missed, his fingers narrowly gracing the fabric of Luke’s shirt. 

Luke approached Julie and Reggie cautiously, his hands held up in surrender. "Reg...Reg are you ok?" He kneeled down next to them. Reggie's eyes grew wide as Luke began to bring a hand up to Julie's shoulder warmly. 

"DON'T TOUCH HER!!!" Reggie screamed as he quickly unattached himself from Julie and launched at Luke. Luke fell back in shock, the breath (ghost breath) knocked out of him as Reggie loomed over his body. 

Unconsciously, and not too different from a mother dog defending her pups, Reggie began punching Luke, rage filling his gaze. 

"Run Julie...RUN!!" He screamed as Luke grabbed onto his wrists in defense. 

Julie looked at the scene in utter horror. 

"Guys! GUYS!! You're scaring him!" She yelled as she tried to grab hold of Luke and pull him off of Reggie. That's when she saw the stamp. It was on the back of Reggie’s neck; a green, dark, ugly stamp with the letters HGC shining in sickly gold text. "Guys! Caleb stamped him. LOOK!" Luke instantly let go and rolled away from Reggie. 

"WHAT?!" Luke stared as Reggie scrambled to his feet. He caught a glimpse of the cursed stamp as Reggie grabbed Julie and whisked her behind him. He put his arms out protectively. 

"Do all you want to me...but LEAVE JULIE ALONE!!!" Reggie yelled at Luke, his eyes balls of fire. 

"Guys...I think I know what's happening!! He-he thinks you're his father! I-I don’t know why, but it obviously has something to do with the stamp! Just--poof out! Quick!" 

Luke nodded at Julie, agreeing with her suggestion. He turned to Alex. They both poofed out, taking final, sad glances at Reggie before doing so. 

Reggie turned around and wrapped Julie up in a hug, his whole body shaking as he rested his chin on her head. He let out a shaky breath. "Are you ok?" He asked quietly. 

Julie nodded smally, her dark brown eyes meeting his emerald green. "Yeah. Are you?"

Reggie nodding shakily. "Yeah, doing better now since he isn't here." He grabbed his neck sheepishly, a gulp forming in his throat as he chose his next words very wisely. "Julie...there's something I never told you." He paused, stumbling over his own words as he grappled with the edge of his flannel. "I-uh-my dad wasn't really the nicest person when I was alive. He-uh, used to fight with my mom a lot...he-he...he used to hit her. Until I stopped it that is...by letting him...hit me…"

Julie gasped as tears formed in her eyes. Luke and Alex had already told her about his father, but hearing him say it made everything seem so...real. She held onto Reggie just a little tighter. "Oh, Reg." Her voice was heavy, weighed down by pity--the one reason Reggie never wanted to tell people about his parents. He hated it. The pity. It was like he was burdening other people just by existing. He couldn't do that--wouldn't do that. The feeling of being responsible for someone else's pain was just too much. 

"Don't." Reggie said bluntly.

Julie looked up to see that his gaze had hardened. "Don't what, Reg?"

"Pity me."

Julie let out a small gasp. "Reggie, I-I’m sorry." He shook his head, indicating that it was alright as he grabbed onto her tighter. 

"It's ok. It made me stronger." 

"That it did." Julie agreed softly as she melted into his firm grasp. "Re-Reggie?"

"Yes?"

"You know you don't have to be afraid of him anymore. I-I think you proved that today. You-you stood up for me...an-and look…

Reggie raised an eyebrow as he looked around the studio where Julie was gesturing towards. "What?"

"He's gone. I-I think you scared him away." She lied, knowing perfectly well that Alex and Luke had just poofed out. But Reggie needed this. He needed to know that he was strong. And he was--that part wasn't a lie. He had protected her...even if there wasn't any actual threat in the first place. 

"I-I...Reggie’s gaze reflected something Julie hadn't seen in him in a while. It was a look of confidence. Of...victory? She smiled up at him with gleaming eyes, pride making her heart swell. 

"Here. I made this for you." Julie opened her fist to reveal an intricate, beautifully woven friendship bracelet. 

"Julie...I-I...I don't know what to say. It-it’s beautiful." He stared down at the gift, his green pools reflecting the vibrant pinks, blues, and purples that Julie had selected for him. 

"Here." She grabbed his wrist and gently tied the bracelet around it, careful to make sure it wouldn't interfere with the sleeves of his leather jacket and flannel. Reggie smiled widely. Just then, his neck seared with unimaginable pain. 

"Aggghhh...ahhhhh!" Reggie fell to his knees, his arm with the newly attached bracelet going back to clutch his neck. Julie sank down to the floor with him, her arms coming quickly up to wrap around his neck and support him. 

"Reggie...REGGIE! What's going on? Are you ok? Reggie?!" 

His eyelashes fluttered briefly as a warm, intense glow engulfed him. Gold like the sun itself, the light blinded him and Julie, forcing the latter to shut her eyes tightly. 

As soon as the light dimmed, the pair gaped as the dark green stamp on Reggie's neck lifted into the air, bursting into little green sparks as the ones on their wrists had only a few months ago after their performance at the Orpheum. Julie wrapped her arms around Reggie's neck and pulled him into a tight hug.

He let out a watery chuckle as he leaned into her, embracing the touch even more than he had the night Julie had saved them. 

"I love you Julie…and I-I will protect you till the day I die...you know that right?"

Julie rolled her eyes. "Reggie, you're already dead." 

He let out a laugh, a smile growing quickly across his face. "Yeah, but you know what I mean."

**Author's Note:**

> Awwww! Julie is such a good friend. And Reggie...sometimes you do have the braincell my man!!


End file.
